Hell and Back
by Kaylan
Summary: What happens when Night People die? Sequel is in the works.


Title: Hell and Back (Parts 6/6)  
Author: Sara Dupras  
E-Mail: starlit_kit@hotmail.com  
Spoilers: minor NW  
Rating: 15  
  
Disclaimers: The reality of the Night World belongs solely to  
L.J. Smith.   
Although, all characters belong to *me*.  
  
Summary: What really happens to Night People when they die?  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
Prologue  
  
I remember the night I died. Oh, Goddess, how could I ever  
forget? It was a beautiful night in summer. While the heat  
hasn't reached scorching, and the wind is playfully tugging at  
your hair. It was the night I crossed paths with my arch-enemy.   
I know it sounds dramatic; however, there really is no other way  
of putting it.  
  
I haven't mentioned my name, have I? That's just like me. I  
jump and skip with the thoughts that swirl inside my head. That  
just about describes my personality: brash, impulsive,  
intelligent, very cruel, and one hell of a smart mouth. What can  
I tell you? I just don't think before I speak....or act, for that  
matter.  
  
Aah, but my name. Sylvania Mertz. Unusual, I know. Then again  
all vampires should have unusual names. After all, a vampire  
named Susan isn't very imposing; now is it?  
  
I suppose the next logical question is what is my arch-enemy's  
name? Allanna Beacham. Not as exotic as mine, but at least it  
isn't Susan. I once killed a girl named Susan. Why? I just  
didn't like her name.  
  
Oh, but now I've given you the wrong impression. No, I am not a  
murderess. Susan was one of the most annoying bitches in the  
world. Not only did she flirt with anything that was male, but  
she sucked at it. Her infectious giggle(or what was intended to  
be one)sounded more like a dying hyena. Believe me that can get on  
your nerves.  
  
There's something you have to understand about the world: not  
any one person is all evil or all good. Not if that person has  
any personality whatsoever. This is especially true of my kind.   
In spite of what you might think of me, I have had my redeeming  
moments. Actually, the story of my death is one of them.  
  
Enough rambling. The night I died, was the night I went to hell.  
  
  
  
Part 1  
  
I had just hopped off the speed boat and onto the dock. I had  
been away from the enclave for about a week. I had just come back  
from my civic duty. Calling in on my sickly, half-sister.   
Goddess, I really wished she would just die already. I can't  
understand why we have witches--too much like humans, if you ask  
me.  
  
I was walking down the dock when I saw her. The bitch. The  
whore. The one and only, Allanna Beacham. I could feel the hate  
gathering in my stomach. The force of it almost made me tremble.  
  
Only moments after I had spotted her, did she spot me. I stared  
at the girl with the pale, silver hair. Her stupid emerald eyes.   
Her too sensuous mouth.  
  
She stared at me. The girl with blood-red hair, and glowing  
lapis eyes. A face that had a dash of freckles going across the  
bridge of the nose. Those freckles are the bane of my existence.   
Can you imagine? A vampire with freckles? So much for perfect.  
  
But again, I digress.  
  
Never one to back down from a challenge(implied or not)I walked  
up to her. I pointedly looked at the slave boy that was standing  
next to her. I smirked and looked back at Allanna. Keeping my  
eyes just south of the border, I inquired, "Sore lately? I hear  
all the bitches are in heat."  
  
Slave boy(I learned later his name was Connor)sucked in his  
breath sharply. Allanna clenched her teeth but refused to be  
baited. "I hope you had a good time. How is Saundra?"  
  
I gave a humorless laugh. "She's as fine as she can be,  
considering she's on the brink of death. Hopefully."  
  
Allanna gave me a cold look. "That's a horrible thing to say  
about your sister."  
  
"Half," I reminded. I turned my attention back to the boy. "As  
far as I'm concerned, all witches should be shackled up and  
brought out as slaves to all the enclaves. They resemble humans  
too closely for my comfort, what do you think, Allanna?" I kept  
my attention on the boy. My plastered smile turned predatory when  
I saw him open his mouth heatedly.  
  
"I think," Allanna said carefully, "that, Connor, should leave."   
The boy took this as the dismissal it was. I guess stupid dogs  
can learn new tricks. I watched him with narrowed eyes as he  
walked away.  
  
"I would suppose that boy gets used quite often. He's really not  
half bad...for a human."  
  
Allanna turned on her heel, furiously, to face me. "Stay away  
from him. He's under my protection."  
  
I looked at her with new found interest. What was this? Some  
little tidbit I could use to get her executed? "Do tell. Are you  
in love with the boy or just his slut?"  
  
She raised her hand to slap me. With my faster than a bullet  
reflexes, it was no problem to grab her wrist before contact was  
made. Allanna always was no match for me in the speed department.  
"That wasn't smart," I hissed at her.  
  
Involuntarily, tears sprang to her eyes as the pain flashed  
through her body. I could feel my smile widening. "Why?" she  
finally asked. "Why are you always on me? What the hell have I  
ever done?"  
  
I laughed. I did it again when I saw her shudder. "Why?   
Because I hate you and your kind, Allanna. You goddamn tree  
huggers! Peace on earth with humans. Do I have it right or don't  
I?"  
  
"What's so wrong with that?" she gasped.  
  
"They're weak, stupid, *mortal*. Basically inferior. To hell  
with them--they're here solely to provide us with entertainment  
and food. Nothing else!"  
  
She finally pulled away from me. "Goddess," she said with(I  
couldn't believe my ears--then again Allanna always was weak)a  
heart wrenching sob, "I knew you had changed, but I didn't know it  
was this much. I can't believe I ever called you, 'best friend'."  
  
"Believe me, the feeling is quite mutual." Since I had the last  
word, I walked off.  
  
  
  
Part 2  
  
As I made my way to the sprawling mansion I call home, I pushed  
the incident to the back of my mind. I refuse to think about  
people I consider scum. Unless, of course, there is some way of  
causing that person to experience hell on earth. That brought up  
slave boy. Hmm. Now there was a thought.  
  
I threw open the door and walked inside. There was going to be  
hell to pay--some one should have opened the door for me. So what  
if they didn't know when I was getting back? All the more reason  
for them to stay on their toes. If I let them keep them.  
  
"Maretta!" I called.  
  
A girl, four years older than me, (twenty-one, to be exact), came  
rushing down the stairs. Her arms were thrown open to embrace me  
in a hug. I grimaced and side-stepped. Her face crumpled but she  
soon got back her composure. "Sylvania, it's good to have you  
back! We've missed you."  
  
"I'm sure you have," I said dryly.  
  
Her eyes widened; confusion settled on her face. Then she said,  
"We did. Especially, Demaeon."  
  
I tilted my head. "Did he now?"  
  
She nodded her head eagerly. "Oh quite. If I do say so myself,  
he was heart broken to see you leave."  
  
"Don't bother! He was probably chasing after some slave girl  
while I was gone."  
  
She shook her curly head. "You're too pessimistic."  
  
"While you, my dear sister, are way too naive."  
  
She dropped the subject by shrugging her petite shoulders.   
"How's Saundra?"  
  
I frowned, I was getting sick and tired of answering that  
question. "I give her another year. Not much more than that."  
  
Maretta looked stricken. "Oh, Goddess."  
  
"Oh, Christ! What the hell does she matter?"  
  
Maretta gave me a look I couldn't decipher. "You get more and  
more like Dad every day." With that statement, she left the room.  
  
I looked at her empty spot. "I swear," I muttered, "if you  
weren't my sister and a vampire, I'd kill you my damn self."  
  
  
  
Part 3  
  
That night I fell asleep as soon as my head hit the pillow. What  
awoke me was a sense of danger. I didn't open my eyes; I  
continued to feign sleep. I kept my breathing calm and deep. I  
needed time to assess the situation.  
  
There was someone in my room. From the feelings the person was  
radiating, fear; anger; sorrow, I guessed it was Allanna. Like  
I've been telling you--she's weak.  
  
Knowing that my best advantage was the element of surprise, I  
quickly sat up. I stared into her fearful eyes. I did not fail  
to notice the stake she was holding in her right hand.  
  
I smiled, evilly. "Planning on a little hunting?" I looked out  
my window, at the swirling darkness. "A little late for that sort  
of thing, isn't it?"  
  
She swallowed. "Sylvania,..."  
  
I was by her side in an instant. "What?" I whispered through my  
growing canines.  
  
"I.."  
  
I knocked the stake from her hand and wrapped my arms around her  
shoulders, pulling her close. "Your first mistake was coming  
here." She shuddered as I breathed on her neck. "Your second  
mistake was not concealing your presence." I pushed on her chin,  
tilting her neck back at an angle. "Your third mistake was not  
having the courage to kill me." With that I bit savagely into her  
neck.  
  
Sweet. I may have hated her guts, but I had to admit her blood  
was absolutely heavenly. But then again drinking from the prey is  
always like this. And that's what she was...my prey.  
  
But I underestimated her. For in the next second, I felt a  
piercing pain go through my heart. Staked. The bitch had staked  
me!  
  
  
  
Part 4  
  
The darkness descended quickly. Faster than I would have  
believed possible. Before I was swallowed completely, I remember  
her saying, "Sorry, I'm sorry Sylvania." Then crying. I may have  
underestimated her, but she was still weak. After all, if she  
hadn't killed me, I more than likely would have killed her.  
  
Then the darkness disappeared. Only to be replaced by a dark red-  
orange. I blinked my eyes rapidly. No! I couldn't believe it; I  
was surrounded on all sides by a raging fire. "No," I said aloud,  
"I don't believe in hell."  
  
"Then what do you believe in?"  
  
I whirled in the direction the voice had come from. My mouth  
dropped open in shock. My father. A man in his early fifties,  
with gray hair, unnatural beauty, and lapis eyes was standing in  
front of me. "Well," I answered, "I certainly don't believe in  
this."  
  
He took a step closer, making his black suit rustle. "Don't you,  
Sylvania? I believe in this."  
  
I gestured. "And what the hell is this?"  
  
He shrugged. "It's whatever it needs to be."  
  
I mulled this answer over for a minute. "I don't think I  
understand."  
  
"Let me try again. It's whatever you need it to be."  
  
I shook my head with confusion. "What am I doing here, Dad?   
What are you doing here?"  
  
"It's not important why I'm here. You're here because you're  
dead, but you're not dead."  
  
"There's an oxymoron. Of course I'm dead--I'm a vampire!"  
  
His face darkened with anger, and I shut up. "No, you're life as  
a vampire is over. But you can still go back."  
  
"Oh really?" I asked sarcastically. "And why do I get special  
privileges?"  
  
He didn't answer for a moment. "You are needed."  
  
I squinted at him for a few seconds. I thought...for a second  
there....an image...a lady's outline? "Who are you?" I asked  
suspiciously.  
  
He smiled, wolfishly. "Do you really want to know?"  
  
"You're not my father," I said with certainty.  
  
"No," he said, "I'm not. You are going back, Sylvania, to do my  
bidding. I will call on you. If you cause any harm when you get  
back..you will suffer horribly when you come back. Don't fuck up!"  
  
"I do no one else's bidding but my own!" I shouted angrily. That  
was when I felt a hand close over my throat. Trying to let air  
back into my lungs, I clawed desperately at my neck. I left  
scratches that would last a week. I dragged my eyes to look at  
his face.  
  
His eyes met mine, and our gazes locked. I could see the threat  
in his eyes. Who ever this person was, they were not kidding  
around. They were obviously meaner and crueler than I.   
Reluctantly, I nodded my agreement. As soon as I did, oxygen  
rushed back into my deprived body.  
  
Then the blackness engulfed me.  
  
  
  
Epilogue  
  
So, now you want to know what my redeeming quality in this story  
is? Well, I'll tell you. When I returned to my body, I didn't  
kill Allanna. Actually, I didn't dare to. Not after the choke  
hold I was put in.  
  
She's apologized a million times for what happened. The funny  
thing is, she actually means it. Like I've said, she's weak.   
Apparently, the stake just missed my heart. I still had to be  
taken to a witch to get rid of the wood poisoning, though.  
  
Do I believe in what I experienced? You bet your ass I do. Now  
I wait. I wait for my summons. I don't know who that person was,  
but I think I have an idea.  
  
Maybe you're right. Maybe I am all evil but this(whatever you  
want to call it)person might just end up making me mend my ways.   
I'm sure the horror of that is apparent to everyone else besides  
me.  
  
One thing is for sure. This earth has not seen the last of  
Sylvania.  
  
  
The End.  
  
(c) Sara Dupras (starlit_kit@hotmail.com)  



End file.
